It might not be on quite the same scale as Greece starting to shift itself from the eurozone, but Waiheke Island wants to shift away from big brother Auckland.

But why? Do they owe Auckland billions of dollars? Is their local government holding the entire country to ransom?

Seven Sharp reporter Tim Wilson caught a ferry across the Hauraki Gulf in search of answers.

What he found were gripes about Auckland like, "domination, arrogance" and "it's too big".

There were other pro-Waiheke, self-governance comments like: "It's almost a completely different country, rather than part of Auckland."

So gentle, artsy Waiheke Island, gobbled up by the Super City, wants out.

Waiheke Local Board member John Meeuwsen is making the case.

"We need to be able to do things on Waiheke for Waiheke people through the decisions of Waiheke people, rather than one-point-five million people that have difficulty relating to our eight-and-a half thousand," he told Tim Wilson.

But not everyone on Waiheke is in favour of splitting away.

"We don't have enough money to be free of Auckland, unless we get some millionaires," one local said.

As Greece begins to shift away from the Eurozone, Tim Wilson finds a little island keen to make a break from us.
Source: Seven Sharp